I went to the store last night to pick up a new razor for my face. Unfortunately, I have rather coarse facial hair, so the typically blade for me lasts 3 or 4 shaves, and then I have to toss it out. Given that a razor and a set of four blades costs around $12 – $14, that means I’m paying at least $1 a shave, which kind of sucks.
I went in last night originally to buy a set of new blades for my Mach whatever razor. Unfortunately, since blades are big money I guess, they keep those under lock and key, which means you basically have to flag down someone and get them to open it. I wasn’t really in the mood, so I bought a new razor (which is basically the same price), and headed towards the door.
In the old days, men didn’t shave using these complicated four or five blade razors, they basically just used a single or a double edge razor. My friend Ianiv has a Safety Razor, and he basically swears by it. Truthfully, I’m thinking of picking one up myself. Firstly, it’s not made out of plastic, and that’s a big plus for me. It’s the kind of thing you keep for a few years, unlike a stupid Mach or Gillette razor that ends up in the garbage every few months. A package of ten blades costs around $8 in Vancouver, but considering most of them are doubled sided, I’m assuming that’s really the equivalent to 20 blades. So that means each blade costs around 40 cents. If you assume I can get 3 or 4 shaved out of each blade (and I suspect I’d get more, especially since there’s nothing really to clog up with hair), then that brings the cost down to like 13 cents or so per shave.
It’s not really the cost that I’m concerned with, it’s more so paying $15 for a device that gives a crappy shave. Plus, as I get older I try to be a bit more environmentally conscious, and the lack of packaging for the safety razor system and blades seems way more green.
I use an electric razor. Had it for 4 years and never changed the blades. Amazing! My facial hair is blondish though so less obvious stubble.
Go beard.
Winter’s coming, after all. Plus, there’s a war on and the amenities are supposed to be scarce.
I have an electric too, but it doesn’t really work that well anymore. The replacement blades are almost as much as a new razor, so I’m not really keen on buying them.
I used a Philips-style rotary electric for many years, and liked it. I replaced it with a Braun foil razor, and hated that (and then it broke). Back in 2006 I switched to the Gillette five-blade Fusion, just for fun. I thought it was a silly gimmick, but changed my mind when I got such a good and easy shave out of it. My facial hair is fairly coarse, but still, it worked well, and I’ve used the Fusions ever since (I tried the “powered” vibrating one, and that one was indeed silly, with no improvement).
I can get at least a month out of each blade too, so for me, that’s the best option. If I did decide to change again, I’d probably go back to the rotary electric. That said, I’ve never tried a straight or safety razor.